May 1, 2008

Fort Wayne, IN - The IPFW men's golf team has inked a pair of high school athletes to National Letters of Intent, John McMillen of Peru High School; and Jacob Bailey from South Central High School.

Bailey, a Porter County Conference (PCC) All-Conference honoree in 2005, 2006 and 2007, was the conference's Most Valuable Player in 2006 and 2007; shooting a 73 in 2006 and a rain-shortened 37 in 2007. He advanced to the 2006 and 2007 IHSAA Regional Championships playing as an individual, and was also a U.S. Junior Amateur Qualifier at Kampen Golf Course.

He averaged an 18-hole score of 74.5 in 2007, including carding a season-low 68. His nine-hole average was 37.7, shooting a miniscule 33 during the year. He won three of his five 2007 high school tournaments, including the league tournament.

John McMillen, pictured above courtesy of Rob Edwards/Peru Tribune, placed 19th at the IHSAA State Championships in 2007

John is a four-year letterwinner for Peru High School, and has been team captain for the last two seasons. He was named to his All-Conference team as a sophomore and junior, and has been tournament medalist in two of his first three invitationals in 2008.

Last season at the 2007 IHSAA State Championships, McMillen finished in a tie for 19th place overall, carding a two-round total of 151, including a second-round 73 on the par-72 course. A weekend earlier, he helped lead his squad to a Regional Championship with a 77, tying for fourth place in the field.

The pair join an IPFW squad that placed ninth at the recent Summit League Championships, and return three of their top five golfers from a season ago.